Law Enforcement

Other Services

DOÑA ANA COUNTY DESIGNATED ‘SAFE COMMUNITY’

DOÑA ANA COUNTY DESIGNATED ‘SAFE COMMUNITY’

September 17, 2012

County officials, including the members of the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners, and local health leaders will address the public and the media on Saturday, September 22, at 8:00 a.m. at La Llorona Park in Las Cruces.

The presentation will include official designation of Doña Ana County as an International Safe Community, including specific programs that target injury and violence prevention.

Representatives of the World Health Organization will be on hand to mark Doña Ana County’s official inclusion in the International Safe Community Network.

The recognition ranks Doña Ana County among only 230 designated safe communities worldwide.

The announcement ceremony will coincide with the 2012 Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash Event.

The concept of a Safe Community recognizes that no single approach to injury prevention and safety promotion can be as effective as collaboration among community organizations and community members.

Injuries are the leading cause of death among people ages 1 to 44 in New Mexico, according to a report from the New Mexico Department of Health, which also estimated the financial cost of injuries at more than $4 billion each year.

To be considered, communities must demonstrate a systematic approach to local injury prevention and safety issues, a collaborative process to address them and a commitment to evaluate the effectiveness of those efforts. The Doña Ana County Health and Human Services Department submitted the application for consideration, and was approved for the Safe Communities designation. This designation will rank Doña Ana County among only 230 designated safe communities worldwide.

“Most injuries, especially those suffered by children, are unintentional and completely preventable,” said Jamie Michael of the Doña Ana County Health and Human Service Department. “For instance, simple things like using seat belts and child safety seats greatly decrease our risk of being injured in a car crash.”

“These types of preventable events put a tremendous strain on our local resources,” Michael said. “This designation will further promote the efforts we’ve made in Doña Ana County to reduce the numbers.”

The public and media are invited to ask questions at the event.

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Reporters seeking more information or interviews: may call county Public Information Director Jess Williams at (575) 525-5801.